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Maha Kumbhabhishekam June 9-13, 2010 |
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Bharatiya Temple of Lansing |
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The consecration ceremony for our Temple’s deities
(Maha Prana Pratishtha) was done 12 years ago, on June 10-14, 1998. A
year later, on June 26-27, 1999, we celebrated Shikhara
Kumbhabhishekam, the ceremony of worshipfully
showering the Kalasha (sacred pot) atop the shikhara (tower) over the main sanctum with holy water
from Kumbhas (pots). Shikara
Kumbhabhishekam is next in importance only to the Maha Prana Pratishtha
ceremony. Once Kumbhabhishekam has been performed, darshan (viewing) of the Shikhara
Kalasha atop the tower gives the same benefit and
energy as doing darshan of the Deity inside the
Temple. Kumbhabhishekam of Shikhara
Kalasha is usually (though not always) performed as
part of the Maha Prana Pratishtha ceremony; but in our Temple, it could not be
performed in 1998 as the shikharas were not ready. While Maha Prana Pratishtha
is a once-in-a-lifetime event for any temple, the shastras ordain performance of Kumbhabhishekam
every twelve years. Sometimes, major repair works have to be carried out to
the temple at this time. This ritual is required to be performed to all the
deities in a temple complex. Through the medium of an elaborate chain of Yaagas and Yagnas (fire
sacrifices), the full potency of infused powers is restored to the deities at
the appropriate muhoortam (time) on an auspicious
day, and the kalashas at the temple shikaras are also re-consecrated. Since it is twelve years since we did our
Temple’s Prana Pratistha,
it is time for us do Maha Kumbhabhishekam.
We plan to celebrate this occasion as a five-day event from Wednesday June 9
to Sunday June 13, 2010. Please mark the dates on your calendars. The invitation letter from the Maha
Kumbhabhishekam Executive Committee gives several
details of the 5-day event. The posted program,
while nearly final, will be updated as needed. The Logistics
document gives useful information on the logistics of the Kumbhabhishekam.
The Sangeetanjali flier
gives details of the program of devotional songs arranged for June 12th
evening The registration package
list gives you several options to support the Kumbhabhishekam
Mahotsav. Your advance purchase of the package(s)
that are of interest to you will help us organize the Mahotsav
better. In conclusion, we appreciate all the
volunteers that make our Temple function so well and we request your
enthusiastic support of the Kumbhabhishekam Mahotsav. We hope all of you can come together to
celebrate this great event.
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